While i know how easy it is to forget what some players has done for us, i feel the need to remind Steeler fans just how good FWP was in his time with us. Yes his prime was only a few years but in that time he did some great things. I feel that FWP has been almost forgotten in the middle of Bettis and Mendy. Jerome was my all time fav Steeler so trust me when i say it took some time for me to warm up to FWP. But stats don't lie.

On November 12th, 2006, in a home game against the New Orleans Saints, Willie rushed for 213 yards on 22 carries & two touchdowns, 5 yards short of the greatest single-game rushing total in Steeler history. His two long gains of 72 and 76 yards set up Willie touchdowns that capped off the Pittsburgh victory, 38-31. His 76-yard sprint late in the 4th quarter was the longest rush in Heinz Field history.
On December 7th against the Cleveland Browns, Willie Parker broke the all-time Steelers rushing record for a single game, gaining 223 yards on 32 carries & 1 touchdown before being taken out of the game in the third quarter. The record was previously held by John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Parker also became the only Steelers running back to have two 200+ yard games in the same year.
Parker played in (and started) all 16 regular season games. He compiled 1,494 yards on 337 carries (4.4 average) with 13 rushing touchdowns. He also had 12 runs of 20 or more yards. Parker also caught 31 passes for 222 yards (7.2 average) and 3 touchdowns. In addition, his 16 combined scores broke the previous Steelers single-season touchdown mark of 15 set by Louis Lipps in 1987
In the third quarter of Super Bowl XL, "Fast" Willie Parker scored a 75-yard touchdown, the longest rushing play in Super Bowl history, to give the Steelers a 14-3 lead over the Seattle Seahawks.

While i know we are all glued to the message boards with any news from camp and of the up and coming Steelers, i just thought i would try to give Parker his due. Don't flame me to hard :Cheers

papillon

08-03-2010, 04:13 PM

While i know how easy it is to forget what some players has done for us, i feel the need to remind Steeler fans just how good FWP was in his time with us. Yes his prime was only a few years but in that time he did some great things. I feel that FWP has been almost forgotten in the middle of Bettis and Mendy. Jerome was my all time fav Steeler so trust me when i say it took some time for me to warm up to FWP. But stats don't lie.

On November 12th, 2006, in a home game against the New Orleans Saints, Willie rushed for 213 yards on 22 carries & two touchdowns, 5 yards short of the greatest single-game rushing total in Steeler history. His two long gains of 72 and 76 yards set up Willie touchdowns that capped off the Pittsburgh victory, 38-31. His 76-yard sprint late in the 4th quarter was the longest rush in Heinz Field history.
On December 7th against the Cleveland Browns, Willie Parker broke the all-time Steelers rushing record for a single game, gaining 223 yards on 32 carries & 1 touchdown before being taken out of the game in the third quarter. The record was previously held by John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Parker also became the only Steelers running back to have two 200+ yard games in the same year.
Parker played in (and started) all 16 regular season games. He compiled 1,494 yards on 337 carries (4.4 average) with 13 rushing touchdowns. He also had 12 runs of 20 or more yards. Parker also caught 31 passes for 222 yards (7.2 average) and 3 touchdowns. In addition, his 16 combined scores broke the previous Steelers single-season touchdown mark of 15 set by Louis Lipps in 1987
In the third quarter of Super Bowl XL, "Fast" Willie Parker scored a 75-yard touchdown, the longest rushing play in Super Bowl history, to give the Steelers a 14-3 lead over the Seattle Seahawks.

While i know we are all glued to the message boards with any news from camp and of the up and coming Steelers, i just thought i would try to give Parker his due. Don't flame me to hard :Cheers

Our oldest son has a FWP fathead, he's still a favorite around our house.

Sheila: Times have changed
Our kids are getting worse
They won't obey their parents
They just want to fart and curse!
Sharon: Should we blame the government?
Liane: Or blame society?
Dads: Or should we blame the images on TV?
Sheila: No, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their beady little eyes
And flapping heads so full of lies
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: We need to form a full assault
Everyone: It's Canada's fault!
Sharon: Don't blame me
For my son Stan
He saw the darn cartoon
And now he's off to join the Klan!
Liane: And my boy Eric once
Had my picture on his shelf
But now when I see him he tells me to #&@% myself!
Sheila: Well, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
Sheila: It seems that everything's gone wrong
Since Canada came along
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Copy Guy: They're not even a real country anyway
Ms. McCormick: My son could've been a doctor or a lawyer rich and true,
Instead he burned up like a piggy on the barbecue
Everyone: Should we blame the matches?
Should we blame the fire?
Or the doctors who allowed him to expire?
Sheila: heck no!
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their hockey hullabaloo
Liane: And that b!tch Anne Murray too
Everyone: Blame Canada
Shame on Canada
For...
The smut we must stop
The trash we must bash
The Laughter and fun
Must all be undone
We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before somebody thinks of blaming uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus!!!!

FWP was a good Steeler. He brought us Steelers Fans what we were always hoping for out of a back, lightning fast speed. Who knows, the backfield is gettign a bit crowded in Washington, maybe we will be able to get him on the cheap if things don't work out for him.

Djfan

08-03-2010, 04:30 PM

I was sorry to see him go, even though I agreed with the way things played out.

Hope he ends up home again.

CanadianSteel

08-03-2010, 04:37 PM

RuthlessBurgher i see your going to be a fav of mine!! Already thinking of a name change because of you lmao JK.

I'm glad to see you all give FWP his due, I've been on alot of Steeler MB and it seems most see Parker the same way they see someone like Davenport. Decent back nothing more, and thats nothing against Dumptruck :mrgreen:

frankthetank1

08-03-2010, 04:42 PM

RuthlessBurgher i see your going to be a fav of mine!! Already thinking of a name change because of you lmao JK.

I'm glad to see you all give FWP his due, I've been on alot of Steeler MB and it seems most see Parker the same way they see someone like Davenport. Decent back nothing more, and thats nothing against Dumptruck :mrgreen:

well if you take out all of FWP's long runs his numbers were never good :lol: :lol:

just kidding, i always loved that arguement. i will always be a fan of FWP and will never forget the longest run in sb history. he had a great career as a steeler especially for a guy who wasnt even drafted.

Lonbull

08-03-2010, 04:43 PM

I always attributed the 2005/2006 Super Bowl run to him - the playoffs were certainly due to Ben Roethlisberger coming into his own - but Willie Parker stepped up that year and certainly had the best season for any third string running back I can remember.

His 75 yard run in the Super Bowl places him among the Steeler Immortal in my mind.

There are some UDFA's who do little or nothing that fans seem to fall in love with anyway (Isaac Redman, John Kuhn, Jason Capizzi, etc.)

There are some UDFA's who do better than anyone ever could have imagined, and somehow still fans seem to always look down on them with irrational disdain (Nate Washington, Willie Parker).

Then, of course, there is UDFA James Harrison. Everyone is too scared of James Harrison to comment one way or the other. :wink:

Stewie

08-03-2010, 04:50 PM

I respect all the FWP did. His speed was something. But he wasn't someone who ran with authority, and when he lost a step, there was nothing left. Here in DC the word is he's gonna have trouble making the squad over Portis and Johnson. I don't want him back except to retire as a Steeler.

ramblinjim

08-03-2010, 04:58 PM

I'm with you guys, Willie was a good STeeler. He was an integral part of our Super Bowl XL win and carried his weight in XLIII. He also always seemed like a good guy, I don't recall ever hearing anything about FWP being a jerk to fans or any of the like.

It's always fun to root for the under dog and he gave us a great deal to cheer about for a few years.

CanadianSteel

08-03-2010, 04:58 PM

I respect all the FWP did. His speed was something. But he wasn't someone who ran with authority, and when he lost a step, there was nothing left. Here in DC the word is he's gonna have trouble making the squad over Portis and Johnson. I don't want him back except to retire as a Steeler.
:Agree

Being a huge fan of bus for so many years thats what turned me away from Parker, Bettis and Parker are very diff from each other in running styles. I also agree with you in that once the injury's set in that was it for FWP. A back like that if you lose a step your done.

rpmpit

08-03-2010, 08:14 PM

FWP's decline started when Kreider got benched. Its one of the few decisions Tomlin has made that I've disagreed with. Never understood it. Even when Willie was struggling, Carey Davis stayed at FB. It was painful to watch. Parker went from a pro bowler consistently at the top of the rushing yards list, to an afterthought.

FWP is never going to be a bruiser like Bettis. We all know that. But I still believe that in the right situation - a solid o-line and a quality FB, he could still be a valuable asset to a team. I wish him luck in DC or wherever he ends up. Thanks for what you gave us, Willie! :Clap

grotonsteel

08-03-2010, 08:37 PM

As an UDFA FWP did great for Steelers. But once he got injured in St Louis he wasn't the same FWP. I definitely don't want FWP back. I think he has reached his shelf life as a RB

Good luck to him in Washington. But i think he will struggle to make that team. I don't know what kinda blocking O-line coach will be implementing in DC but in Denver normally one cut and then north-south running style RB did very well. I don't see FWP that kinda runner.

fezziwig

08-03-2010, 08:54 PM

I have a spot in my Steeler heart for Willie. Willie was good not great but he gave it his all. I too think with a better o-line and a fullback Willie would have been a force with all that speed. Willie to me kind of lost his identity due to the changing of the league with no fullbacks.

Great memories of Willie and his back breaking Super Bowl TD run. great memory of Willie putting it to the Titans on opening day his first starter season.

Kaeg

08-03-2010, 09:13 PM

Kinda sounds like everyone paying their respects at a funeral. Hehe. Seriously though, I have a lot of respect for FWP myself. I hope he gets a bit of a revival going and gets another good year or two.
:Cheers

CanadianSteel

08-03-2010, 09:49 PM

Didn't mean to turn this into a "Do you want him back" Thread. I don't think many on here would (myself inc) But i disagree with "he was a good back not a great back" For 2 years yeah Parker was a great back, but injury's really hurt a speed back like him, and it was the end.